


The Approach of the Solstice

by GretchenSinister



Series: GretchenSinister's 12 Days of Blacksand [7]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Victorian, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23136976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GretchenSinister/pseuds/GretchenSinister
Summary: DAY 8 - In Middle Of A Silent NightAnd BAM! another AU from nowhere. Victorian paranormal societies? Let’s goooooo!
Relationships: Pitch Black/Sanderson Mansnoozie
Series: GretchenSinister's 12 Days of Blacksand [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662955
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2
Collections: Blacksand Short Fics





	The Approach of the Solstice

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr on 12/20/2013.

“Sir? I don’t mean to disturb you, but I thought I might share your fire.”

Sandy looked up from his book to see Mr. Black standing the doorway of the sitting room, grim as ever, but also oddly diffident now. He smiled, and beckoned him in, gesturing at the decanter of brandy on the side table between the two armchairs near the hearth.

“Thank you,” Mr. Black said, pouring himself a drink.

Sandy watched him curiously. Mr. Black had always seemed to him to be an odd initiate into the Guardian Society, and it was half out of a desire to unravel his mystery that Lord Mansnoozie had accepted his unusually forward request to stay at his country estate, study in his library, and make use of his observatory.

Admittedly, Mr. Black’s wish to do so was not so strange. Even among the Society, all would admit that Lord Mansnoozie’s library was particularly extensive, and even more particularly unusual. Not even Mr. St. North would dare to claim that he could lay hands on copies of certain volumes present at the Mansnoozie estate, despite the fact that many of the items in his collection had been stolen from under the noses of guards often not human enough to possess that particular organ. And this was not even to speak of Sandy’s observatory, which, to begin with, had a bronze age stone circle as its foundation. Few other observatories could boast such a characteristic, and fewer still could claim the particular construction methods and contents of its upper floors.

Over the past month, though, even as the snow piled up deeper and deeper on the surrounding moors, separating them further and further from the outside world, Sandy felt he hadn’t gotten to know Mr. Black any further than his initial letter had allowed. He realized that this might be the first time they had spoken to each other after dinner.

He studied him in the glow from the fire, as he had done during other Society meetings, knowing that he would find no answers this way, but taking pleasure in the activity nonetheless. Mr. Black appeared to be in his mid-thirties, and since Sandy had been present for his initiation, he probably was (the same could not be said of all Society members: Sandy himself was quite good at accepting and downplaying comments regarding how well he looked at his age, and the striking resemblance between him and his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather). He was a tall man, well over six feet, with only the leanest covering of flesh over his bones, and the clothes he chose to wear emphasized both characteristics to an almost unsettling degree. An aquiline nose dominated his long, cruelly handsome face, and even now, as the evening wore on, not a single raven-black hair had moved out of its place.

Sandy smiled as he sipped at his brandy. Honestly, Mr. Black, in name and appearance, seemed like he should be appearing on a yellow paperback cover of some sensational book purporting to tell of the Society. It would have been more laughable if he had not looked so very, very good in his stereotypical appearance.

“You are accustomed to silence, are you not?” Mr. Black asked, looking away from the fire to Sandy.

Sandy thought for a moment, and realized it was quite true. Outside the tall windows now, the night was filled with softly falling snow, and Sandy was glad that it would be making the roads even more impassable, leaving him in near-solitude, with a much-reduced staff. Ordinarily in the winter, he wouldn’t even have someone like Mr. Black for company, and that was how he liked it. He rarely spoke, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had raised his voice. Yes, Mr. Black was quite right. It only made sense to him. After all, there was often a great deal going on in his head.

He nodded, and smiled apologetically. Perhaps he had been making himself difficult for Mr. Black to know as well.

“I am afraid I might be becoming too accustomed to it as well,” Mr. Black said. “The month I’ve spent here so far has been very peaceful. I’m very grateful for that. As you might know, before I was initiated I was being…pursued. I have not felt the slightest vibration of that pursuit here. My dreams have been filled with sunlight.

“Still,” he continued, “I wish you would speak more. I’m always impressed by what you have to say when you do speak in Society meetings.”

“Are you saying that you wished for my conversation as well when you travelled here? Why did you not say so in your letter?”

Mr. Black’s composure wavered for an instant upon hearing Sandy speak before returning. “I…wanted to appear serious in my purpose for visiting. It is not customary to allow an individual to stay at one’s estate for the entire winter just because that individual wants to talk to that one.”

“Forgive me, Mr. Black, but your letter revealed little of any purpose, serious or not.”

“And yet you let me stay?”

“The circumstances under which we met were highly unusual. I confess that I have been curious about you as well.”

“Oh—ah—yes.” Mr. Black returned his attention to the fire. “Regarding that…while my initiation into the Guardian Society has held off my pursuers for a while, I know well that it has not stopped them entirely. To be frank, I hoped that in your library I would find some way to more permanently protect myself.”

Sandy raised his eyebrows. “And? Have you? Have you chosen to finally come talk to me as a means of celebration?”

Mr. Black twirled his glass nervously in his long fingers. “I have found something,” he said. “I—had better not explain it aloud. I’ll need your help for the pronunciation, for one thing. Er. Here.” He withdrew a notebook from his pocket and, with the stub of a charcoal pencil, hastily drew a complex symbol on a blank page. “And please don’t say I’m overreacting. You were the one most heavily affected by my pursuers when the Society found me…I’m surprised, but ever, ever so thankful that you survived.”

Sandy nodded, and extended his hand for the notebook. Their fingertips brushed as the exchange was made, and Mr. Black nearly dropped the book. Sandy wondered idly if these things were related, turning more of his attention to the symbol.

His eyes widened as he saw it. “This one will destroy you if you call him alone,” he said, seeing no point in beating around the bush.

“I—I know,” Mr. Black said, his voice growing quieter.

“You need the other as well.” With a small gold pencil, Sandy began to draw another symbol, intertwined with the first. He handed the notebook back to Mr. Black, and their fingertips brushed again.

Mr. Black looked down at the intertwined symbols, looking more nervous than ever. “I want the first to be primary—since I’m asking him for help. That means the winter solstice, and since there are so many preparations—”

“Mr. Black, please, calm yourself. You have a whole year to prepare.”

“You mean I’ve missed the solstice this year!”

“Why, no,” Sandy said, taken aback. “But it’s going to be here in two days, and we’re entirely snowed in.”

“You don’t have all the supplies?” Mr. Black’s eyes looked hollow and desperate, and Sandy began to think that the Society’s defeat of his pursuers had been far less effective than Mr. Black had led them to believe.

“I have everything that is required—save one thing in particular.” Sandy said. “Ah, Mr. Black, did you read _carefully_ what must be done when calling both?”

“Yes, of course!”

“Well, then you’ll know that this isn’t something that any of my servants can do, and I wouldn’t ask them to help you in such a way. You must have someone from the Society willing to aid you. I believe, if approached in the right way, Miss Frost might be amenable, but even given unconventional means of communication, she cannot travel here within two days.”

“I—I am aware that this is something that requires the aid of a Society member, Lord Mansnoozie.” Mr. Black set his glass down on the table with shaking hands. “However, I…do not care to ask Miss Frost to help me.”

Sandy frowned. Katherine and Ana were both married, and while that was not always a problem within the Society, he doubted Nightlight or St. North would be pleased to have their wives participate in an endeavor not only morally questionable but also highly dangerous. And still, he and Mr. Black were snowed in.

“S-sir. I could. I could complete the ceremony with you.” Sandy said nothing. “I believe you know the most about this kind of thing, it isn’t strictly Society approved, but you have the books, and I think you would be a very fine focus for the Brilliant One, and I—I…I would like you to be the one I complete the ceremony with.” Mr. Black stared resolutely into the fire, a fierce blush blooming on the pale skin stretched across his high cheekbones.

Ah. Yes, that _was_ the obvious solution, wasn’t it? “You realize the Brilliant One might not let me go if the Dark One chooses to protect you as you wish. There’s a risk that we’ll be linked for as long as you need the Dark One’s protection.”

“Risk? Oh. Yes, risk. That’s, er, not an outcome that I’m worried about.”

The silence stretched out between them.

“Oh, good lord, I shouldn’t have asked!” Mr. Black cried, standing up and turning toward the door.

“Wait,” Sandy said quietly. “I had to think about it, you know.” He smiled as Mr. Black turned toward him, eyes wild and hopeful. “And I have decided that I will help you.”

Mr. Black’s shoulders sagged in relief. “However,” Sandy continued, “since we both have a vested interest in this going well, we must do this properly.”

“Yes, yes of course,” Mr. Black said.

“This means practicing the trickier parts of the ceremony. The timing of lighting candles, the angles of certain lines of chalk…” Mr. Black nodded along. “And,” Sandy finished, “the most complex part of all. That will require exact timing as well, and, Mr. Black, we aren’t even on a first name basis with each other yet.”

His blush returned with a vengeance. “I’m Kosmo,” he managed to say after a few gulps of air.

“I’m Sandy.” He laughed a little. “Now, Kosmo. May I call on you in the morning?”

Kosmo nodded, licking his lips. “Yes. I’m an early riser.”

“I should hope you are,” Sandy said, and Kosmo blushed all the way down to his collar. “But for now, good night.”

Kosmo bowed to him slightly and reeled out of the room as if drunk.

Sandy returned to his chair and settled down to finish his drink. He knew it was no good trying to continue reading now. Laughter as vast as galaxies pressed in upon his mind, and it almost felt as if the universe was waggling its eyebrows at him. _Oh, shut it_ , he thought. _Don’t laugh at me for accepting your gifts, O Brilliant One_.

**Author's Note:**

> Tags and Comments from Tumblr:
> 
> #yes this does end with them banging in the observatory under the stars#while getting possessed by their eldritch counterparts#the earth kind of literally moves#sex magic is no way to advance a plot#but I don't really care
> 
> thismightyneed reblogged this from gretchensinister and added:  
> OHGODYES THIS AU IS MAGNIFICENT!!!!!#THIS#i can't even handle how good this wasssss#i also taking this au beacuse yeah!
> 
> marypsue reblogged this from gretchensinister and added:  
> I. I have no words. This is everything I never knew I wanted, and several things I did know I wanted, and it’s gorgeous and awkward and adorable and sexy and I’m going to stop there because I could probably gush all night. #i /will/ be stealing this AU at some point#damn girl I gotta step up my game
> 
> whentheoceanmetsky reblogged this from gretchensinister and added:  
> yes this does end with them banging in the observatory under the starswhile getting possessed by their eldritch counterparts the earth kind of literally moves sex magic is no way to advance a plot but I don’t really care
> 
> oh you wretched goddamn tease #POUDS FIST ON A TABLE #SMASHES CUP #ANOTHER #WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SEX MAGIC IS A PERFECT WAY TO ADVANCE A PLOT #WHY DOESN'T THIS NOVEL EXIST I WOULD BUY IT TAKE MY MONEY #SEX MAGIC IS BEST MAGIC #I LOVE HOW ALL OF SANDY'S TALK WAS BASICALLY VICTORIAN CODE FOR 'I WANT TO SCALE YOU LIKE A SEXY MOUNTAIN' #PITCH ARE YOU SO OKAY WITH BANGING SANDY THAT YOU ACTUALLY FORGOT IT WAS A CONDITION TO MENTION??? #AWKWARD PITCH IS BEST PITCH #ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES
> 
> tejoxys said: “…it almost felt as if the universe was waggling its eyebrows at him”. That. That is a wonderful line to sum things up. I LOVE this AU - I want to see everyone else, and just more of it, in general!


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